Counter and Rental Clerks vs Models: $41K vs $48K Median Pay

Counter and Rental Clerks vs Models: what changes?

Consider Counter and Rental Clerks if you want to receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. Consider Models if you would rather model garments or other apparel and accessories for prospective buyers at fashion shows, private showings, or retail establishments. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Counter and Rental Clerks and Models. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Counter and Rental Clerks

National median pay (2025): $41,300
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Compute charges for merchandise or services and receive payments.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 46,100

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Counter and Rental Clerks brief

Models

National median pay (2025): $48,470
Route into the job: No formal educational credential
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Pose for artists and photographers.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 700

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 2.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Models brief

How the national numbers differ

Counter and Rental Clerks has the edge on annual openings

Counter and Rental Clerks is at 46,100 annual openings, compared with 700 annual openings for Models.

Counter and Rental Clerks has the edge on projected growth

Counter and Rental Clerks is at 3% projected growth, compared with -2.1% projected growth for Models.

Models has the edge on median pay

Models is at $48,470, compared with $41,300 for Counter and Rental Clerks.

55/ 100

Counter and Rental Clerks

29.2/ 100

Models

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Counter and Rental Clerks vs Models

Dimension	Counter and Rental Clerks	Models
Median pay (2025)	$41,300	$48,470
Pay percentile	12.6 percentile	27.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	3%	-2.1%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	46,100	700
2025 employment	409,400	4,200
How you qualify	No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	No formal educational credential
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Counter and Rental Clerks brief Read Models brief

Counter and Rental Clerks vs Models: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Counter and Rental Clerks

Models

How the national numbers differ

Counter and Rental Clerks has the edge on annual openings

Counter and Rental Clerks has the edge on projected growth

Models has the edge on median pay

Counter and Rental Clerks vs Models

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Counter and Rental Clerks vs Cashiers

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